The show features the Air Force's premier aerial demonstration team, the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, performing fast-paced aerobatic maneuvers of two, four and six planes flying in formation.

The Andrews Air Show is family-friendly and a great way to support our military and marvel over the aerial maneuvers of skilled aviators. The event is free and open to the public. You can purchase reserved seating for $25. Attendees are allowed to bring their own lawn chairs. Food will be for sale. Backpacks are prohibited and no outside food or beverages are permitted.

Gates open at 9 a.m. and close at 5 p.m. Aerial performances begin at 11:30 a.m.

Every fall since 1977, the photo-worthy Maryland Renaissance Festival has re-created a 16th-century English Tudor village in the era of William Shakespeare, Edmund Spenser, Thomas More and Henry VIII.

This year, the 2017 Maryland Renaissance Festival takes place at Anne Arundel Fairgrounds, located at the intersection of Route 450 and Crownsville Road in Crownsville, Maryland (8 miles northwest of Annapolis).

September 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24, 30

October 1, 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22

Admission is $19 to September 10 and $25 from September 16 to October 22. All senior, child and group tickets are discounted. A two-day pass is $38.

Many communities in the Washington, DC area hold Oktoberfests, a local version of the famous fall festival held each year in Munich, Germany. The Oktoberfest is a family fun event focused on German beer, food, music, and dancing. Here is the schedule of 2017 Oktoberfests in Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia. (In order by date) Note many of the events take place in September.

Pick a pumpkin, ride in a wagon full of hay, or feed and pet farm animals. What is a better way to enjoy the change of seasons? Fall festivals are held in a variety of places throughout Maryland and Northern Virginia. Here are some of the best pumpkin patches in the Washington, DC area.

Boo at the Zoo is a Washington, D.C. favorite Halloween tradition. Children visit the National Zoo at dark and enjoy trick-or-treating, animal encounters, keeper talks, festive decorations, and haunted trails. An entertainment stage will feature magicians, jugglers and a DJ spinning Halloween favorites. Proceeds from Boo at the Zoo benefit the Zoo’s conservation science and animal care programs. The event is geared to children ages 4 to 12. Boo at the Zoo is held rain or shine.

Admission: Tickets are required and usually sell out in advance. They will be available for FONZ members ($20 per person) on Sept. 1 and for non-members ($30 per person) on Sept. 15. Children ages two and up must have a ticket. You may purchase tickets here.